San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-09-17
TELEoRAPHIC BREvITIES.

pension roles ase: Charles b. Rsines,
Mineral Wells; Mary, widow OF James
N. Stanford, Sweetwster; VIM. c. Brom-
ley, Belmont; VIM. Baggett, Hamilton;
John K. English, Pennington; VIM. IL.
Miller, Dublin; Daniel Harrison, Ripple,
Poolville; Rosina c., widow OF Jos. Hop
kins, Brownville; Jas. Il. Chamberlain,
Waco; Edward ID. Evans, Liberty Hill;
Richard @. Harper, Woodvllle; Chss.
Warren, Lampasas.
The Nile rise Injuries no crops in the
delta, but destroyes the American con-
sulate at Luxor.
Chicago wholesale ooalers raise prices
80 and 70 cents ton on retailers.
A parcel post between this country
and Jamaica will go into effect Octo.
Der LIST.
A oOlored preacher at Housto n jails q
brother from Georgia for insinuating
that his flock did not worship intelleo-
tually.
A national salute was fred at Fort
Brown In honor OF the independence OF
Mexico.
Parliament Ia prorogued and the
queens speech Ia all sweetness.
The Dublin corporation protests
against the tyrannioal policy Of Eng
land.
Home rule is being demanded for Scot
land as well as for Ireland.
A Kansas City policeman kicks a cltI-
zen to death while making an arrest and
Ia held for murder.
The first national Of Cory, Pa, closes
Its doors.
Victoria ships ~ cars OF fat cattle and
smiles at copious rain.
The pacing to wagon record broken
by johnson In three heats; 2:l6t, 2:l5t,
2:l5f.
Two engines wrecked three men kill
cd and seven Injured In Tennessee rail-
road collision.
The French government will reply to
the manifesto OF the count OF Paris.
Pope & Brother. oil dealers New Y ork.
rated at 100000 fail.
The Midland railway disaster was
owing to defective signaling. The mail
was on the crossing when the express
dashed into 1t. Twenty-four were killed
and many others will die.
The car Is anxious for q friendly meet
ing with Emperor william.
Washouts on Mexican Central and
Southern Pacific cause freight wrecks
and the killing OF two parties.
The missing whaler, Amethyst, has
been heard from, wrecked with all on
board, 80 souls.
The large sales Of school lands are ef-
fecting the sale OF private lands.
School Houses and Fire Escapes.
Editor LIGHT:
The following from the Philadelphia
Inquirer OF August IL, 1887, is worth
reading:
The board OF fire escapes still keeps
up its controversy with the board OF
education concerning the manner In
which the latter has executed the pro-
visions OF the law In relation to the con-
struction Of fire escapes. There is no
class OF buildings which requires mere
care and liberality In providing means
OF escape for the inmates, in case OF fire,
than the public schools. The young
pupils, as has been shown on
more than one occasion, are
susceptible to rights upon sudden
alarm, There have been ter
rlble instances OF children being crushed
and trampled to death In endsavoring to
escape from class rooms In school build
ings In New York and other cities, and
some notable ones of fright In Philadel.
phis. The means of exit from the school
should be broad and easy OF access. the
balconies and ladders should be strong
and always in condition for immediate
use.
would ask any intelligent person II
the above does not suggest the necessity
to look after the safety OF our little ones
In the already overcrowded public
schools In San Antonio, and that, too
without delay; who can tell what happy
home today may be draped In mourning
terrible loss Of life in one OF our public
schools? OF course, as usual In such
cases, it would no doubt be
the one who would have the least au-
thority In connection with the proper
administration Of affairs.
Let the city authorities, instead OF
building new schools, take the money
they say they have on hand and build
large and easy fire escapes from each
and every room Of the schools now In
u-e; make these buildings, safe as far as
life is concerned, before building new
ones. AS regards the escapes"
straight, broad and strong stairs are
preferable to ladders and other patent
arrangements, which may be out OF
order when needed. Avoid angles. II
possible. In putting up the stairs, be-
cause the pressure may be too great on
the banIsters, or ratings, at the angles
and cause them to give way and pre-
cipitate the children In a pile below,
crushing and smothering the unfortu-
mates. "a young cousin OF my wife was
killed In this manner at Yonkers, New
York
1t is not necessary to say much more
on this subject, any sensible person can
see the necessity for Immediate action,
[ would suggest however. meeting OF
the parents OF school children, the
appointment Of a committee OF six, to
visit the schools and settle on the best
form Of Sire Escapes" lin doing 80
throw aside all patent arrange ments,
which would only be mystery to q
crowd OF frantic children) and erect
good, broad, strong stairs outside Of
each room, In straight line, with the
exit, large enough to accommodate the
"maximum" number Of children that
the room could possibly hold. All doors
leading to the "Escspes" should open
outward, teachers should be instructed.
to open and shut the doors several
times every morning to see that they
work easy, and keep them unlocked dur
| ing school hours, let the scholars pass
out by ways Of the Escape" once or
| twice q month to become familiar with
| its location, etc., those scholars least ex-
citablc In their temperament, should
have their seats nearest to the "doors"
with instructions at the alarm Of fire"
to open the doors quickly but quietly,